With the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons Version 3.0 update, we, fans and players of the series, have been thrilled to return to the game. With new collaboration items, features, and other content, there’s a lot for us to come back, especially our favorite villagers.
Villagers in Animal Crossing serve as the townsfolk that you, as a player, can interact with. Each villager has a unique personality, species, homes, and hobbies. While there are several villagers in the game, there are some who have become iconic in the series. If you’re curious about who the top villagers are for us, well, here’s our list of the 15 best Animal Crossing villagers.
15. Pietro
First up on our best Animal Crossing villagers list is Pietro, the smug yet colorful sheep villager in Animal Crossing. He has a clown-like appearance and has music as a hobby. As colorful as his overall look, Pietro’s house is also circus-themed, with different items like his Colorful Wheel and Springy Ride-Ons. Love him or hate him, his chaotic personality, stand-out appearance, and iconic “Honk honk!” catchphrase make him a memorable villager.
14. Zucker
Zucker is as cute as his inspired real-life food, Takoyaki. He’s a lazy octopus villager and likes relaxing. Usually, Zucker gets along with other villagers except the Jock villagers. You’ll find Zucker’s home mirroring an actual Takoyaki stand. He’s become a favorite pick because of how chill he is and his Japanese-inspired aesthetics that are instantly recognizable.
13. Shino
Another Japanese-inspired villager is Shino. She’s a peppy deer villager who has the education hobby. Her design is inspired by both Japanese deer and the oni (demons). Shino’s quite energetic and confident with herself, being able to bring your town to life. Despite her intimidating appearance, she’s fun to interact with.
12. Stitches
Then we have Stitches, like Pietro, who is designed with a lot of color. As a lazy bear cub, Stitches simply likes playing around. His design is also pretty cool as he’s made up of different fabric patches and literal stitches like on his eyes. Stitches gives a very comfortable and homey vibe with his “teddy bear-like” design, since he brings a sense of nostalgia with him.
11. Marina
Next up is Marina, a normal octopus villager who sports a pastel outfit and easily befriends other villagers and the player themselves. With her sweet personality, Marina has become a favorite for her cozy and cute theme, thoughtfulness, and balanced personality. She’s become really appealing for those who want genuine friendship and relaxing gameplay with their villagers in Animal Crossing.
10. Whitney
For our top 10, we have Whitney, a snooty wolf villager. She has a fashion hobby, and her appearance also shows her stylish personality. While Whitney may seem rude and arrogant towards villagers and players, she’ll later warm up to you. Whitney, overall, has a timeless feel that’s made her popularity remain over the years, making her one of the best Animal Crossing villagers at present.
9. Raymond
In all seriousness, Raymond can get very serious. He’s a smug cat villager who looks very dapper and has the nature hobby. You can find Raymond reading books and studying. Raymond is all about self-improvement, style, and ambition. He has a confident personality like Shino, but has a lot of insights to share with you. The way he stands out across the variety of villagers with his modern looks makes him one of the best Animal Crossing villagers.
8. Lucky
A mysterious figure, Lucky is a lazy dog villager who seems ironically unlucky for his name, with his seeming injuries or possibly being undead. With a laid-back lifestyle, Lucky can get along with other villagers and has a pretty humorous personality. He’s perfect for spooky-themed islands that you want to build. We adore Lucky because of the contrasts between his eerie outward appearance and soft-hearted dialogue.
7. Bob
Everyone’s favorite lazy cat, Bob, is known for his playful charm and sneering looks. With his bright purple color and yellow eyes, Bob has a cartoony appeal that makes him a fun character you want to have fun with. Bob is pretty much carefree, loves food, and can get pretty chaotically random in his dialogue. He’s one of the best villagers out there for being unpredictable and absurd, which is refreshing for your town.
6. Roald
Bringing a burst of energy, Roald lands as the sixth-best Animal Crossing villager because of his pure enthusiasm and charm. His bold colors make him stand out, and his simple appearance makes him endearing. His house is even unique, with a lot of ice-based furniture. As a jock villager, Roald is easily likable and can bring a lot of wholesomeness despite being a hard-on gym enthusiast.
5. Molly
In fifth place, we have Molly, who’s a brown Mallard normal duck villager. She has a nature-like color scheme that fits right in with her nature hobby. Molly is one of the cutest villagers you’ve probably seen in the game due to her soft aesthetics and gentle presence. She usually gives kind dialogue to you and your villagers, creating a calm atmosphere. She’s perfect as an all-rounder villager who’s welcoming and warm.
4. Hazel
If you want to spice things up, Hazel is a sisterly squirrel villager who loves giving a lot of tips to the player. She even gives you some medicine when stung by a wasp. Hazel may be tough, but she still shows some love due to her caring and protective nature. There’s a lot to love about Hazel, such as her genuine and encouraging dialogue. She feels relatable and quietly empowering, making her one of the best Animal Crossing villagers.
3. Lily
Now, who doesn’t like cute frogs? Lily is a frog villager with the education hobby. She has a normal personality and is beloved for her peaceful charm. Lily is perfect for nature or fairy-tale-inspired islands, and she’s become one of the best villagers out there due to her simple design and cool personality, especially because of her moments where she talks about appreciating small moments and friendships. Sometimes, you’ll even find Lily making quips and puns in her dialogues, making her quite an interesting addition. These things truly cement her as one of the best.
2. Coco
Coco is a normal rabbit villager with pitch-black eyes and an open mouth. She even seems to resemble Animal Crossing’s gyroids with the hollowness of her design, making her a standout character. Despite her unsettling design, Coco’s dialogue can put you at ease. She’s warm, polite, and very reassuring, creating a lot of emotional connection with you as a player. Additionally, in a way, she provides some quiet wisdom. Overall, Coco is in second place for adding a unique mood to Animal Crossing.
1. Marshal
Finally, we’re at our best Animal Crossing villager. Like Hazel, Marshal is a squirrel villager but has a smug personality. His expressive side-eye makes him create a comedic atmosphere in your town that feels more intentional rather than for the sake of comedy. Marshal can become quite self-aware and sometimes dramatic. He even sometimes acts like the main character, despite you being the true main character. Ultimately, he’s loved and considered the best Animal Crossing villager because he simply feels alive with his humor, drama, and fun demeanor.
Animal Crossing has just so many villagers, going over 400 characters across its series, offering players countless options to invite and befriend. While there are so many to choose from, there are only a select few who stand out and can be considered the best Animal Crossing villagers among all the games. But remember that the “best” villager doesn’t have to be the most popular. What should matter most to you is enjoying the personalities, quirks, and charms of each villager that you can call your favorite, and can also make your island feel like home.